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The Mesa Press

The Mesa Press

The independent student news site of San Diego Mesa College.

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The Mesa Press

The Mesa Press

Budget Crisis in the Golden State

It might come as a surprise that the state of California was operating without a budget from June to September 23. The issue raises questions about how the state operated and performed normal state duties without a solid budget or a solid plan.

In all reality a state couldn’t function properly without a budget without cutting funds to departments. One of the effects of not having a budget for the public school system is the lack of funding. Many schools in San Diego County have had to lay off teachers and cut the activities in school, because funding is simply not coming in.

Governor Schwarzenegger released a proposed budget for 2008 and 2009 that would make cuts of $400 million to many departments including public education for this year and a $4.4 billion cut for next year. As of May 14, the San Diego deficit would go from $80 million to $53 million still leaving 200 teachers not knowing how long they would hold their position as a San Diego County educators. This all tied into Mesa College because of the issue of financial aid and how money is going into the San Diego community college system. Many students depend on the money that the California budget supplies and that money is not being poured into Mesa or any community colleges.

The issue is not a major crisis but it leaves many wondering how a college can survive without a budget and how this problem began. The proposed budget for the 08-09 California School system, is $9,125.50 in millions. Not only are school systems in California effected, but so is health care in California. The proposed budget would cut $1.04 billion from public health care and cut $1.1 billion in Medi-Care that serves 6.6 billion of California’s poor residents. Fewer doctors would be able to treat patients that rely on Medi-Care and hospitals would loose out on desperately needed funding. Some students who depend on state healthcare would not be receiving care because they no longer qualify.

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This brings the issue back to how this crisis is being resolved and what is being done to correct it. An even bigger issue is the fact that many students simply don’t know that there is a budget crisis.

” I didn’t even know there wasn’t a state budget but that is scary because the government is not doing their job.” Said Brooke Simons.

A big majority of Mesa students depend on financial aid and with money coming in to Mesa or any community college can only continue so long before money becomes an issue in many students’ college budget. On September 19, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger held a press conference to see if the issue can be resolved and is working to insure that a budget is in place and working. On September 23, 2008 Governor Schwarzenegger signed the state budget. The current state budget is set at $15.2 billion with multiple cuts and revisions. Finally, the budget crisis is over and lasted for 71 days but has finally come to an end.

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